The Stringband Music & Arts Festival returns to the Ozark Folk Center State Park October 9–10 for 2 days of live music, dancing, handcrafted art and Ozark heritage.
The festival includes evening music shows Friday and Saturday at the park’s 1,000-seat Ozark Highlands Theater, along with craft demonstrations, daytime music performances and traditional activities in the Ozark Folk Center Craft Village.
This year’s musical lineup includes 19-year-old folk singer and old-time banjo player Murphy Campbell from the Blue Ridge Mountains, Kansas-based multi-instrumentalist John Depew, old-time duo Salem Plateau, the Ozark Folk Center Square Dancers and Mountain View stringband the Riggsville Ramblers.
Salem Plateau features husband-and-wife musicians Joseph McCarthy and Grace Stormont-McCarthy. Grace is the 2026 Arkansas Old Time Banjo Grand Champion and a 5-time Arkansas Country Music Awards winner.
The Craft Village will be open both days from 10 AM until 5 PM.
Festival admission includes access to the evening shows at Ozark Highlands Theater and admission to the Craft Village.
Artisans throughout the village will demonstrate traditional crafts, create items and sell handmade goods.
Craft Village shops include copper flame painting, knives, pottery, stained glass, leather, wood toys, fiber arts, wood carving, old-time printing, candles, quilting, herbs, jewelry, paper craft, dolls, brooms, blacksmithing and an apothecary.
Other attractions include old-time magic and medicine shows, Whiskey & Tango’s Old Time Picnic Swing and live music from local musicians throughout the day.
Daytime music performances are scheduled to begin at 10:15 AM, 11:15 AM, 12:15 PM, 1:45 PM, 2:45 PM and 3:45 PM.
The Skillet Restaurant will also be open Friday and Saturday from 8 AM until 9 PM, serving Southern-style meals to festival guests.
MUSIC SCHEDULE:
Friday, October 9:
2 PM–2:45 PM — John Depew Trio, matinee set in the Craft Village
6 PM — Theater box office and doors open
7 PM–7:05 PM — Ozark Folk Center Square Dancers
7:05 PM–7:50 PM — Riggsville Ramblers
8 PM–9 PM — John Depew Trio
Saturday, October 10:
2 PM–2:45 PM — Murphy Campbell, matinee set in the Craft Village
6 PM — Theater box office and doors open
7 PM–7:05 PM — Ozark Folk Center Square Dancers
7:05 PM–7:20 PM — Music Roots Ensemble
7:20 PM–8:10 PM — Salem Plateau featuring Joseph and Grace Stormont-McCarthy
8:20 PM–9:30 PM — Murphy Campbell
Advanced tickets are $25 for Friday, $35 for Saturday or $50 for both days.
Day-of tickets purchased at the theater or Gift Shop cost $2 more.
Ozark Folk Center Season Passes will be honored, and family passes are available for 2 adults and children under 18.
Tickets and additional information are available at Tickets.OzarkFolkCenter.com.
Guests looking for overnight accommodations can stay at the Cabins at Dry Creek on the park grounds.
The cabins are located near the Skillet Restaurant and Craft Village, and shuttle service is available for cabin guests attending events at Ozark Highlands Theater.
FEATURED PERFORMERS:
Murphy Campbell is an old-time banjo player and singer with deep family roots in western North Carolina and Appalachian ballad traditions.
Her project “Revenant” features more than 12 ballads connected to her family and the mountain communities where they lived.
John Depew is a Kansas-based musician, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who blends traditional sounds with original songwriting influenced by farming, family, philosophy and travel.
Salem Plateau is an old-time traditional Ozark string band centered around Joseph McCarthy and Grace Stormont-McCarthy.
The Riggsville Ramblers are a Stone County old-time stringband featuring veteran Mountain View musicians on banjo, fiddle and guitar.
The band’s name comes from the historic Riggsville township, formed near present-day Mountain View in 1819.
The Ozark Folk Center State Park is located in Mountain View and is dedicated to preserving and presenting traditional Ozark music, crafts and culture.
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